People crossing Pandalam in Pathanamthitta district of Kerala. At least 23 more deaths were reported across rain-devastated Kerala on Saturday. (Raj K Raj/HT Photo)

With power supply and communication links snapped, shortage of food, potable water and medicines and scores of people awaiting evacuation from affected areas, the government has an uphill task ahead. (Raj K Raj/HT Photo)

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People look at a loader machine removing boulders and blockage moved by a landslide at Mattikunnu village in Kozhikode district, Kerala. (Manjunath Kiran/AFP Photo)

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Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan announced late Friday that the monsoon death toll had dramatically risen to 324. (Raj K Raj/HT Photo)

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The NDRF has evacuated over 10,000 people from the heavy rains and flood waters affected areas of Kerala till now as it said it has launched its biggest-ever relief and rescue operation in the country till date. (Raj K Raj/HT Photo)

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A child being treated at a relief camp in Pandalam, Kerala as the state reels under floods. (Raj K Raj/HT Photo)

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The support teams have been using all available resources to rescue people from the Kerala floods. (Amal KS/HT Photo)

Rescuers evacuate people from a flooded area to a safer place in Aluva, Kerala. (Sivaram V/REUTERS)

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A woman cries as she holds her son after they were evacuated from a flooded area in Aluva, Kerala. (Sivaram/V REUTERS)

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A house destroyed by a landslide is pictured at Kannapanakundu village in Kerala. (AFP Photo)

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The deadliest deluge in Kerala in close to a century has claimed 194 lives since August 8. Over 3.14 lakh people have been moved to relief camps. (Amal KS/HT Photo)

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A volunteer rescuing a child at Pandalam in Pathanamthitta district of Kerala. (Raj K raj/HT Photo)

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Heavy rains since August 8 have triggered floods and landslides and caused homes and bridges to collapse across Kerala (Raj K Raj/HT Photo)

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At least 23 more deaths were reported across rain-devastated Kerala on Saturday with 15 bodies of the victims seen floating on flood waters even as rescue and relief operations continued across the state on a war-footing. But with power supply and communication links snapped, shortage of food, potable water and medicines and scores of people awaiting evacuation from affected areas, the government has an uphill task ahead. Prime minister Narendra Modi, who had reached the state on Friday night, announced an interim relief of Rs 500 crore for Kerala after holding a high-level meeting with state chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan and other officials on Saturday. He also announced ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh per person to the next kin of the deceased and Rs 50,000. The state government however sought emergency relief of Rs 2,500 crore from the Centre, saying Kerala suffers losses of Rs 25,000 crores.